KOREAIntroduction to the The year 2003 was a milestone in the life and the history of the Korean YMCA. It was a celebration of the first century of the YMCA movement in Korean peninsula. But, it is more than a celebration. The history of Korean YMCA closely reflects the very troubled and turbulent history of our country, that is, the indescribable agony and frustrations as a people, persecution under the colonial power, the occupation of our lands, the manipulation and control of our culture, liberation in 1945, the national independence, the ensuing division of the nation by superpowers, the bloody and devastating civil war, the authoritarian military regime, and, up to now one still finds the most militarised and tense atmosphere in a still divided country . In late 1990s, we suddenly went through a financial crisis and economic recession, resulting in massive layoffs, huge unemployment, homelessness, and disintegration of families. At the same time, we also experienced the social symptom of the aftermath of the modernity such as consumerism, materialism, individualism, and indifference. Today, the Korean YMCA, with its 60 local YMCAs and over one hundred thousand membership, is experiencing a great transition and change within the movement and the Korean civil society. We are also facing unprecedented challenges as we enter the vortex of global changes at the gate of the 2nd century of the movement. In a spirit to uphold the great traditions of responding to the social challenges and tasks, the Korean YMCA has identified emerging challenges to achieve a clearer sense of vision, mission, and directions for the movement. Bringing a Wave of "Life" and "Peace" to our "Communities"Following the "Challenge 21" imperatives, Korean YMCA is determined to work for the "Fullness of Life" for all creation in our own context, thereby fighting against all that is destroying and hinder "life" to flourish. It is also to secure the common life of all living things on earth. Living in a peninsula divided in the aftermath of the Cold War, it is an inescapable call of God for all Korean YMCAs to actively participate in the peace and reunification movement. We are committed to exchanges and cooperation with the people of North Korea, from humanitarian support to mutual cooperation towards a reunited country based on justice, peace and mutual understanding. Again, we will focus on our "Communities" with a view to realizing direct and participatory democracy. How to nurture Life and Peace in our own communities, will be an ongoing challenge to the Korean YMCA in the years to come. Based on the above thrusts, the following are five (5) program priorities of the Korean YMCA: Movement on "Civic Politics", based on Participation, Autonomy, and Decentralization The Korean YMCA recently launched a programme called a "Movement on Civic Politics". The purpose of the movement is, for the citizens to learn and practice participatory democracy, thereby play as agents of political reform in their communities and nation. Under the slogan "Learn democracy. Citizen practice, develop citizen's political capability", a series of political education programs for various groups of citizens are being conducted with a view to securing citizen's political rights, reform of political institutions, and realizing local autonomy and people' s genuine participation. Environmental Campaign towards aSustainable and Symbiotic SocietyThe YMCA is also striving to help realize a sustainable society where a value system based on economic growth and efficiency is shifted to a value system based on eco-friendliness and sustainability. To this end, programs including environmental education, eco-monitoring activities, river-reviving campaign, green city campaigns, are implemented. In response to a rapid collapse of rural communities and environmental degradation stemming from globalisation, the YMCA is also committed to preserving rural communities ecologically healthy. Advocacy for Civil Rights ProtectionThe Korean YMCA, since 20 years ago, has been working for the protection of consumer's rights at the "Citizens Mediation Centre" in 40 local YMCAs across the country. It recently tries to strengthen its work in cyber spaces in the name of "on-line consumer movement", as Korean people rapidly adapt to information society. It expands its area of work into the issues of green consumerism, education on credit economy for youth and citizens, common purchase campaign at schools such as school uniforms and information and communication consumers, etc. Reinforcing Youth MovementThe YMCA supports youth to grow as responsible citizens - subjects of their lives, to be given opportunities for autonomy and participation. The youth programs include helping to eliminate social factors hindering wholesome growth of youth, organizing social support networks, and intensifying the autonomic spaces of youth. Also included are club activities of middle school Y and Hi-Y and, open youth forum organized by local YMCAs. The YMCA also provides youth counselling on sex and sexuality, drug-abuse, and jobs. While working for educational reform, several local YMCAs run alternative schools. International Cooperation-Participating in Global Civil SocietyWe recognize that there is an urgent need for international participation and solidarity based on new global spirit to help resolve emerging global issues in the age of globalisation. In particular, the role of Korean YMCA in securing peace and sustainability in Asia is significant. Therefore, the Korean YMCA, based on our motto 'That they may all be one", is also committed to the work of international cooperation with a view to participating in global civil society. MORE KOREAN CASE STORIES FOR TRANSFORMATIONA Credit Education for Youth, Seoul YMCAThis program was designed to provide teenagers with an education of self- financial management. Given the social and economic changes and the development in Information Technology in Korea, the market forces have extended the availability of credit cards to young people. However, many teenagers turned out to be failures in their usage of credit cards resulting in the rapid increase of youth credit delinquents. The program includes developing textbooks and resource materials which are also accessible on-line such as guidelines for teachers on credit education, videos, brochures for students, quiz bank, education program in foreign country, collection of good education cases, and others. The educational campaign provides for workshops, lectures, festival, camp, cafe, and contests on credit/financial management and responsible credit. All middle schools and high schools had been provided with the textbooks and resource materials. In the process, the YMCA textbooks had been regarded as complementary public education resource. The program garnered social support for credit education. Components of the program, include developing textbooks for credit education and making it accessible on-line, and various educational classes, festivals on credit card management participated by young people, camps with creative educational methods and others. Alternative Education in KoreaBackground In the early 1990s, through the 'alternative educational movement', many kinds of educational movements were developed in Korea. At first, the educational movements raised the problems of education and experimented on new methods. Now they are being developed in many ways in various educational fields. Meanwhile, specific high school (new school system) was established in March 1998 and alternative schools started to open. About 11 accredited alternative high schools are on operation now. Since elementary and middle school education is compulsory in Korea, only public (formal) education can be authorized as a school. These alternative schools are autonomous and independent. They strongly believe that the formal schools provide incomplete education but people have to go through this process of school education. Gwang Myung YMCA - "Byeopssi" School The school was established in the spirit of the YMCA movement. Its purpose is based on the YMCA Basis of cultivating people who can make God's world on earth. In God's world, life is free and precious. "Byeopssi" school teaches students to try to realize God's world. The basic principles of the school include: • To give importance to an ecological, life-oriented education • To give importance to family-oriented education • To give importance on local-oriented education • To give importance to community education • To give importance to freedom and subjectivity education • To give importance to small group activities and conversation-oriented education Sun Cheon YMCA - Peace School Peace School is: • A culture school, which cultivates citizen's awareness of globalisation. • A foreign language international school where one develops adaptive ability to globalisation. • A life school, which emphasizes the value of spirit, culture and life instead of material resources. • A creative school where one studies our world with joy. • A peaceful school which regards everyone's existence preciously Its educational purpose is based on the YMCA spirit that regards life with love and peace. It tried to educate in terms of the following: • We teach that our students are connected with all things so they consider nature and life importantly. • We teach that our students are the hosts of this world. • We train them to keep their cultural identity and adapt themselves to the global era. • We train them on learning and living in order to live as democratic citizens. Children's mission I consider life importantly I take the trouble for other people. I serve for the society and follow righteousness I thank for every joy. I know the importance of our history and culture. I am sensitive. On "Our children" Our children's lives do not belong to anyone but themselves. Education leads them to right way to make them "be themselves". They do not belong to their parents. Excessive fondness and overprotection block children's creativity. The final purpose of education is to make them leave from their parents' fence. A bird that can't fly and an egg that can't hatch would mean death. We should give them wings to leave us, to fly in the sky and to the future. Inside them, there are unsung songs, unwritten poems and rivers where they have to cross. Alternative schools try to educate students to have inner value, humanitarian sensitivity, maturity and balance. We are living in the loss of humanity and scientific world. We should teach them to be poets of lives, adventurers and owner of the world. Most alternative schools were made with expectations from our society. They try to overcome social crises and encourage students to become beautiful human beings. They teach recovery and liberation of humanity and living together. They also teach cooperation, unification, solidarity, and co-existence instead of antagonism, conflict, separation and competition. Contact Information Mr.Lee Hack Young Mr. Shin Jong Won Ms. Young-Yee Lee Mr. Doo-Ku Park |
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